Busting fussy eating the easy way

There’s no need for parents of toddlers to despair – mealtimes end in tears with fights over food, you’re not alone. A survey of Australian parents revealed that three out of four felt worried, guilty or frustrated that their children were not eating balanced meals. Kids aged between 3 and 9 were found to be the fussiest eaters. Guess what was rated the most unpopular? Yes, it was vegetables followed by fish, milk, meat and fruit.

Read on as I look at reasons for mealtime battles and offer a few tips and practical advice on how to entice fussy eaters to eat. Having lived through a fussy eater of our own, I understand the frustrations and fully admit that at times it’s hard going! Not all these tips will work but try a few, stick to what works and ditch the rest. One day, your child will grow up … and then can tell you themselves what the real problem for their food refusal was! Here are 10 ways to keep your sanity:

Set a good example to fussy eaters

Let them see you eating and enjoying things like vegetables, salad, fish and unusual looking foods such as oysters or cauliflower. Make family meal times a way for your toddler to mimic YOUR good eating behaviour.

Don’t use rewards or bribes with fussy eaters

Bribes – “eat your broccoli if you want ice-cream” – tend to backfire over time. Children will swallow an unappetising food (or medicine) in order to get the reward, but that doesn’t make them like it. Usually they end up disliking it intensely! Don’t fall into the trap of giving them “something” so they don’t go to bed with “nothing” on their stomach.

Don’t let them drink up

Have fussy eaters help prepare the meal

Kids eat up if they can serve themselves or help make it (most of the time). Make food fun and interesting by letting your child help with tasks such as food preparation, setting the table, unpacking the groceries and shopping together.

On weekends, try a mini buffet and allow them to select their own food.

Plant a pot of baby tomatoes and watch them grow. Or the top of a carrot or an avocado seed (common science experiments with food).

Keep offering foods, even if they are refused

Let fussy eaters go slow

Fussy eaters are often slow eaters who dawdle over their plate.

Lastly avoid stressing about the mess by laying down plastic sheets on the floor under the high chair or table for easy cleaning. And keep meals simple – don’t spend hours preparing something gourmet that will be lost on a toddler!

Read more about healthy diets for kids:

Breastfeeding is best for babies and provides many benefits. Combined breast and bottle feeding in the first weeks of life may reduce the supply of your own breast milk. Always consult your doctor, midwife or health care professional for advice about feeding your baby. This post is part of the Early Life Nutrition story.